Barbed-wire machine.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

11.3. SUI-INABEL. BARBBD WIRE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 21, 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

H. E. SGHNABEL. BARBED WIRE MACHINE.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED MAY 5, 190.3.

-snnms-nnrr J! WIIIIIIIIIIIIIL g nuv H m. 1 7 2 7 m N BARBED WIRE MACHINE APPLICATION FILED 0011.21, 1901.

NO MODEL.

n N u rammed May 5,- 1903;

Erica.

HERMAN sonNAnEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, nssrenon TO AMEEioAn STEEL dc WIRE COMPANY OF JERSEY.

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION on NEW ,nm-esu-wmfe MACHINE.-

ssnormcatrron forming art of Letters Patent No."727,210, dated m 5, 190a Anpligation filed October 21, 1901?. serial No. 79,463. (No model.)

This invention relates toa machine for making barbed wire of'that type in which twostrandwvires are cabled or twisted together, and prior to tlle twisting operation a series of suitably-spaced barbs are twisted or coiled about one of the'strands through'the operation of a twister-spindle through which the said strand-wire is fed.

The general-object of my invention is to provide a simplified and improved machine for manufacturing this kind of wire; and

among the detail objects of the invention may be mentioned,'first, to effect a substantially uniform forward travel of the twister-spindle equaling the speed of travel of the strandwire therethrough, whereby the twister-finger is maintained in engaging relation to the barb being formed without varying the position of the latter relatively to the strand-wireuntil the barb is severed from the stock; second, to provide a special form of twister-fin-.

ger adapted to initially catch the barb-Wire and elfect a snug coilingof the same; third, to provide for-the application of barbs having a plurality of turns about-the st rand-wi-rei when desired through employment of a novel. mechanism for driving and feeding the barb.

wire or wires across the path of the strandwire, said mechanism including as a part thereof devices which may at the will of the operator be rendered effective when needed to produce a positive forward feed of the barb-wire in excess of its forward feed relatively'to' its reciprocating carrier, thereby producing a section of barb-wire of increased length for purposes of a two-turn barb; fourth, to provide an improved cutteroperating mechanism for severing the sections of wire forming the barbs'from the. barb-wire stock; fifth, to effect a forward feed of the barbwire across the path of travel of a continuously-rotating twister-finger in such a manner and at such properly-timed intervals relatively to the movements of the latter that the twister-finger shall not become effective on I the-wire untilthe-same has been fully advanced, and, finally, to provide a mechanism .for making four-pointed barbs characterized by the employment of a pair of oppositelydisposed continuously-rotating twister-tingers, which are so disposed and geared relatively-to the barb-wire-feeding devices that the fingers are caused to engage the respectivewires alternately in the formation of successive barbs, coiling each one through one and one-quarter turns about the strand-wire.

With these several objects in View my inventionconsists in the several: improvements whereby theobjects above enumerated are carried out in a practical and 'e'flicient manner, as hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereinafter appended. i

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which- Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the machine, certain old and well-known features thereof being omitted for the clearer illustration of those features ofnovelty in which my invention resides Fig. 2 is a plan View of the parts. shown in Fig.- 1. :Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, in side elevation, of the barbwire-feeding and barb formingdevices viewed from the side opposite that'shown in Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrow 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similarly-enlarged cross-sectional view substantially on the line' 44 of Fig. 3 and illustrating my improved cutter-actuating mechanism.- Fig.5 is a substantially horizontal sectional plan view of a portion of the reciprocatingcross-head and twister-spindle, illustrating the manner in which the barbwires are guided across the strand-wire and subsequently twisted orcoiled thereon. Fig. 6 is an isolated detail, enlarged, of the twisterspindle. Fig. 7 is an end view of the latter viewed in the directionindicated by the ar row 7 in Fig. 6. Fig, 8 is a transverse sectional detail across the twister-spindle, illustrating the manner in which it is splined to its driving-pinion. Fig. 9 is an end view of the left-hand portion of Fig. 3 viewed in the direction of the arrow 0 in the latter figure. Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the cross-head ing the action of the cutter-blades upon the barb-wire. Fig. 12 illustrates in enlarged detail two views of the twister-finger, taken in planes at right angles to each other. Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the positions of the barl'i-wires relatively to the central strand-wire and the manner in which they intersect the latter immediately prior to the coiling operation. Figs. 14, 15, 16, and 17 are diagrammatic views illustrating difierent positions of the twister-fingers relatively to the barb-wire and strand-wire just prior to the formation of the barb, and Figs. 18, 19, and 20 illustrate the product of the machine in three different forms. Referring to the detail features of the machine, 1 designates a suitable bed-plate supporting the principal operative parts of the machine and carried upon a series of standards 2. Between the front and rear standards 2 is journaled a main horizontaldriving-shaft 3, having fast and loose pulleys 4 and 5 on.

the rear end thereof. The intermediate portion'of the driving-shaft 3 lying between the 'fected.

front and rear supporting-standards of the frame comprises a reel-supporting frame or flyer 6, rotatable on its longitudinal axis and having journaled transversely therein a distributing-reel 7 and a receiving-reel 8 for the finished product of the machine. Shaft 3 carries at its forward end a small gear-ring 9, intermeshing an idler gear 10, which latter drives a gear 11, fast on the counter-shaft 12,

- mounted longitudinally above the bed-plate 1 in suit-able supports 13, 14, and 15. In brackets 16, carried on an overhanging extension 1 of the bed-plate 1, is horizontally journaled a shaft 17, this latter having keyed thereon a large bevel-gear 18, which drives a guide-reel or pull-out 19, over and around vwhichthe strand-wires are trained previously to being twisted together. A small bevelgear 20 on the forward end of counter-shaft 12 meshes with and drives the bevel-gear 18. Pendent from the extension 1 of the bedplate 1 is a bracket 21, which carries at its lower end a guide=reel 22, under which the strand-wires are trained in their travel to the receiving reel 8.

Upon the bed-plate 1 is supported a stationary bed-block (designated as an entirety by 23) serving to support those elements of the machine whereby the feed of the barbwire stock to the strand-wire is directly ef- On opposite sides of the top face of this bed-block 23 are grooved a pair of slideways 2%, in which is mounted a reciprocatable cross-head- 25, this latter having formed integral therewith and constituting a part thereof a carrier, which supports and guides the barb-wires prior to their application to the-strand-wire, as hereinafter more particularly described; The means for driving this cross-head, giving to it a regular and uniform forward travel at the same rate of speed as the travel of the strand-wire, constitutes an important feature of my present invention and will next be described.

26 and 27designate a pairof parallel shafts disposed transversely of the bed-plate 1, near the rear end thereofin suitablejournals 15 and 28,respectively. The drive-shaft 26 has keyed thereon an eccentric 29, which by means of an eccentricstrap 30 and pitman 31 is harnessed to and imparts a reciprocating movement to the cross-head 25. The shaft 26 is positively driven continuously in one direction from the longitudinal shaft 12 bymeans of bevel-gears 32 and 33, keyed on the shafts 2 and 27, respectively, the rotation of shaft 27 being imparted to shaft 26 by means of a pair of eccentrically-mounted gears 34L and 35, fast on the shafts 27 and 26, respectively, and these eccentric-gears are so disposed with relation to the eccentric 29 that the accelerating forward throw of the eccentric 29 will occur synchronously with the retarding throw of the driving gear 34, the gradual increase in speed of travel of the cross-head 25 under the accelerating impulse of eccentric 29 being thus offset by a proportionally gradual decrease in the speed or rotation of its shaft 26, due to the peculiar disposition of the eccentricgears 3i and 35 relatively thereto, so that the variations of the latter constantly neutralize the speed variations of the eccentric, and the movement of the cross-head 25'is thereby rendered substantially uniformand regular in its forward travel. The gears 3t and 35 areinclosed between pairs of circular metal disks 34*and 35, respectively secured to their sides, which disks are centrally mounted relatively to the shafts 27 and 26 and have for their object to counterbalance the eccentricity of the'gears themselves in their effect upon the rotation of the shafts. In order to counterbalance the eccentric 29 and its strap 30, as well as to prevent shock and jar to the machine at the end of the stroke, I employ a weighted sector-shaped arm 36 or a pair of such arms, preferably formed integrally with the eccentric and occupying such a position relatively to shaft 26 as to effect the results stated.

In the standard 23 at one end of the bed block 23 is fixed a horizontal stub-shaft 37, the same having rotatably mounted thereon a pair of connected gears 38 and 39. The gear 38 is engaged and driven by a gear 40, keyed on the longitudinal shaft 12, while the gear 39 engages and drives a gear-ring 41, formed on one end of a hub 42, this gear and its hub surrounding and being feathered on a sleeve 43, constituting a twister-spindle, which latter is rotatably and slidablyjournaled in the upper end of standard 23. A bent strap or stirrup 4E4, suitably bolted to the standard 23 at 45, Fig. 3, straddles the gear 41 and its hub 42 and serves to prevent endWise movement thereof. The formation and construction of the twister-spindle 43 is shown in detail in Fig. 6. hollow, has a longitudinal groove4=6 formedin the outer surface thereof, this groove engaging a corresponding inwardly-extending rib or feather 47 on the inner wall of the hub 42, whereby the spindle 4:3 is rendered capable of longitudinal movement relatively to the hub 42 and its driving-gear 41 and necessarily partakes of the rotary movement of said parts. The spindle 43 has a circumferential groove 48 near one end thereof, and the end of the spindle adjacent groove 4:8 is provided with one or more longitudinally-disposed sockets or seats 49, formed therein for the reception of the shank portion of one or more grooved twister-fingers 50. 1 These fingers 50 are secured thusin the face of the spindle by means of a collar 51, surrounding the end of the latter and the shanks of the fingers. The spindle at its groove 48 is rotatably journaledin a box 52, having side flanges which are suitably bolted or otherwise secured to the side members or slides of the cross-head 25. By reason of this construction it will be evident that the reciprocating movement of the crosshead 25 and its contained wire guide and carrier is transmitted directly to the twisterspindle without, however, interfering with the simultaneous rotary movement of said spindle.

That part of the cross-head 25 which constitutes the carrier and guide for the barbwire stock comprises an intermediateinte= gral'portion 53, lying between the parallel slides, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 10. This carrier is centrally apertured longitudinally thereof, as at 54, to permit the passage therethrough of that one of the strand-wires to which the barbs 56 are to be applied, the said carrier being also similarly apertured on opposite sides of the central aperture and in horizontal planes lying slightly above and below the horizontal plane of the central aperture, respectively, as indicated in Fig. 13. These last-mentioned apertures receive a pair of hollow hard-metal bushings 57, the central passage-ways of which are of a size suitable to receive and transmit the wires 58, which supply the barbs 56 for the central strandwire 55. The forward ends of the bushings 57 are curved inwardly toward each other and toward the central aperture 54, whereby as the wires 58 are caused to advance through the bushings 57 the direction of said wires is changed from a position parallel with the central strand-wire to a position obliquely across the latter and above and below the same, respectively, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5.

Each barb-wire 58 emerges from its guide 57 at such a position as causes it to lie in the path of the twister-finger 50 in the rotation of the latter, whereby the barb-wire is coiled through one or more turns around the strandwire, according to the overlapping length of the barb-wire, the speed of rotation of the twister-finger, and the period of engagement of the twister-finger therewith prior to the This twister-spindle, which is severing of the barb from the stock. It is also noted that the interior diameter of the hollow twister-spindle is sufficient to permit the coiled barb to pass freely therethrongh after it has been applied to the strand-wire.

Fig. 12 illustrates the special conformation of twister-finger which I have devised, the same being designed to automatically effect a snug coiling of the barb. As will' be seen from an inspection of the said figure, the free end of said finger which engages the wire forming the barb is longitudinally beveled on its wire-engaging side, as shown at 50, the finger being gradually narrowed or undercut toward its outer end, which latter is provided with an integral transverse lip or flange 50", designed to catch the overhanging end of a barb-wire and retain the same in engagement with the finger during the coiling operation. Tlhe beveled surface 50 of the finger acts in an-obvious manner to crowd the successive turns snugly against each other during the winding operation. This is evident from the fact that the resultant force transmitted from said beveled surface of the finger upon the wire in contact therewith may be resolved into two component forces, one (the greater) acting in a direction transversely of the finger and the other (theless) in a direction longitudinally thereof, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 12.

Referring now to the means for severing the barb from the stock after the same has been coiled about the strand-wire, 59 designates a pair of vertically-disposed knives or cutter-blades set in a slide 60, which latter is adapted to reciprocate in suitable ways 61. The slide 60 is actuated from a cam 62, fast on the shaft 12, through the intervention of a bell-crank lever 63, pivoted at 64; to the bed 23 and having one arm engaging a groove in the cam, while the other arm is longitudinally slotted, as at 65, and engages an extended pin 66, projecting horizontally from the lower end of the slide 60. This pin 66 is of such a length that it is always in engagement with the bifurcation of the bell-crank lever 63 during the reciprocation of the crosshead 25, this construction being necessary by reason of the fact that the pin is mounted in a reciprocating cross-head, while its oper ating-lever 63 is pivoted to the stationary part of the machine. The knives 59 effecta cutting action'upon the wires, operating in conjunctionfwith a pair ofvstationary knives or cutters 67, secured vertically above them on the vertical face of the cross-head, and the lower and upper knives are adjustable to compensate for wear by means of the setscrews 68 and 69, respectively.

In conjunction with the operation of the wire-carriage 53 it is necessary to provide *means for effecting a relative travel of the barb-wire stock therethroughbn the backward or return movement of the carriage 53, since otherwise the wires would be idly carried back and there would be no advance movement of the'wires therethrough to provide stock for forming the barbs, it being here noted that the machine is adapted to make barb-wire in which the barbs are spaced at different intervalson the strand-wire, this difference being secured by employing varyzontally in hangers 71, secured to the face of the bedblock 23 on each side thereof, the guides 70 being integrally joined at their proximate ends bya U-shaped frame 72. The guides 70 and frame 72 are cast integrally with a plate 73, to the upper portion of which is secured a block 74, lying within the -U- shaped frame 72and capable of vertical adjnstment therein, as by a set-screw 75. To

the lower portion of the plate 73 is pivoted a dog 76, which is spring-actuated, as shown, to normally force the nose of the dog into contact with the under side of block 74. The parts last described constitute what is commonly known in the art as the clutch-box. The wire '58 forming the barb-stock is fed through the guide 7 O and passes between the under side of block 74 and the nose of dog 76 in such manner as to be clamped and held therebetween. at the desired times.

From the foregoing construction it will be evident that as the cross-head of carriage 53.

advances the barb-stock wire 58 will be drawn forward by the frictional hold of its curved guide 57 thereupon and also by a partlycoiled portion of a barb being formed on the strand-wire, said barb-wire traveling freely through the guide 70 and between the dog 76 and block 74. When, however, the carriage 53 recedes, the wire 58 will not travel rearwardly with the carriage, but will'be clamped and held stationary by the biting action of the dog 76, thus producing the relative forward'movement of the stock-wire through its guide 57 to an extent sufficient to provide stock for the next barb to be formed. It will be observed that the guides 7 0 may slide freely through the hangers 71 to an extent permitted by a. horizontal set-screw 77, secured in one of the hangers 71, as shown. It will be seen that by reason of this construction the guides and their associated parts may be carried forward bodily a slight distance between the hangers 71 during the forward feed of the wire by reason of the clamping effect of the dog 76,-and during the returnmovement of the carriage 53 the wire'58, with its guides 70 and associated parts, will be returned until the clutch-box abutsthe left-hand hanger 71, whereupon the dog 76 will instantly become effective to prevent further retrograding movement of the wire, and the latter being held stationary will be fed forward relatively to the carriage 53 by the continued backward movement of the latter. u

' The purpose of the construction last described is to permit. a certain return or backward travel of the barb-stock Wires Where the forward travel of the carriage 53 is somewhat in excess of the actual length of stock required to form the individual barbs. Such an instance occurs in making the two-turn barb (shown in Fig. 19) with six-inch spacing. The extent of this return of the stock-wire may be regulated or adjusted to a fine degree of nicety by a proper adjustment of the stop 77.

It is'sometimes desirable where a barb having a coil of an increased number of turns is to be formed in connection with shorter spacing to provide for a forward feed of the barbwire stock to an extent in excess of the length of the stroke or movement of the carriage 53. My present invention contemplates the provision of novel means for automatically effecting such excess feed of the barb wire stock, and an efiicient and convenient embodiment of such mechanism as herein shown comprises a rod 78, secured at one end in an ear 79 on eitherside of the vertical extensionof the forward face of the cross-head 25. The

other end of this rod 78 is equipped with a pair of adjustable collars 80 and 81, and between said collars the rod 78 passes through an eye 82, constituting the upper arm of a lever pivoted at 83 to the bed-block 23 and having its pendent arm 84 slotted at its lower end and engaging the pin 85, projecting through said slot from the face of the plate 73. From the foregoing construction it will be seen that the collar 81 may be so set on the rod 78 as that during the rearward movement of the cross-head 25 it shall abut the eye 82, and thus cause an inward or forward travel of the plate 73 and its associated parts constituting the clutch-box, thus positively advancing the wire 58 through its carriage 53 to an extent determined by the relative position of thecollar 81 on the rod 78 and the consequent inward movement-of the arm 84 of the lever. Before the end of the succeeding forward stroke the collar 80 contacts the ring 82 and returns the clutch-box to its former position. This last-described mechanism, which constitutes an important feature of my present invention, thus efiects a positiveautomatic regulaole forward feed of the barb-wire stock in addition to its relative forward feed caused by the rearward travel of its carriage, and thus enables a barb exceeding the length of the strokeof the cross-head to be applied to the strand-wire, it being understood that the operations hereinabove described in connection with the feeding of one barb-wire are duplicated on the opposite side of the inachine when two barb-wires are fed to make a four-pointed barb.

In order to lead the barb-wires into the guides 70, I prefer to employ a pair, of eyes 86, located in the outer ends of a pair of arms or brackets 87, secured to and extendingfrom the rear end of the stationary bed-plate 23, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The operation of the several parts of the machine has been to a considerable extent indicated in the preceding description; but its connected operation as a complete and organized mechanism may be briefly set forth, it being premised that the machine as shown in the drawings is capable of applying adouble intercoiled barb to the Wire, yielding the four-pointed product shown in Fig. 20, for which purpose the barb-wire-feeding devices are shown in duplicate, although the machine is equally capable of applying the single barb, having either the single-turn coil (showuin Fig. 18)7or the double-turn coil. Fig. 19.)

Referring first to the operation of applying single or two point barbs, that one 55 of the strand-wires to which the barbs are to be applied is led from the dispensing-reel (not shown) located at any suitable or convenient pointin rear of the machine, the strand passing above the pitman 31 and entering the central aperture of the carriage 53, passing. therethrough, and thence centrally through the twister-spindle 43 and being led thence over and around the pull-out 19, under and over the guide-reels 22 and 7, respectively, and being finally secured to the receiving-reel 8. The other strand-wire, herein indicated by 55, passes from a similar dispensing-reel (not shown) beneath the principal operating parts on the bed-plate 1 and is conducted by suitable pulley-guides to the pull-out 19,

where it meets its companion wire 55. It passes thence in close association with the wire 55 to the receiving-reel 8 and is twisted with its companion wire by reason of the endwise rotation of. the receiving-reel 8 and its distributing-reel 7 relatively to the stationary reels 19 and 22. The receiving-reel 8 may be given a rotating movement on its own axis to Wind up the product thereon by any suitable gearing to the main shaft 3., The strand-wire 55 being thus fed at a uniform speed through the carriage53 and its connected twister-spindle 43, the latter parts are reciprocated at a practically uniform speed throughout their forward movement, owing to the effect of the eccentric driving-gears 34 and 35 upon the action of the eccentric 29, which speed is substantially equal to the speed of travel ofv the strandqvire moving in the same direction. When the reciprocating parts of the machine, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, have reached the rear or righthand extreme of their movement,.the. free end of the barb-wire 58 has been projected across the strand-wire 55, and in such posi- (Shown in tion it is engaged by the continuously-rotating twister-finger 50 and coiled about the strand wire during the forward or left-hand travel of the cross-head in the form shown in Fig. 18 or Fig. 19, according to the amount of barb-wire stock fed forward, the speed of rotation of the spindle, and the period of engagement of the finger with the wire before the latter is severed from the stock. This twisting or coiling operation takes place during nearly the entire travel of the carrier in the direction in which the strand-wire is moving. At or near the end of such forward travel ofthe cross-head 25 the knives 59 and 67 become effective to cut off the barb from the stock, and upon the reversalof the travel of the cross-head 25 and its contained parts the barbpasses on through the, twister-spindle with the strand-wire, while the rearward or right-hand movement of the carriage 53 in a direction opposite to that in which the strand-wire is traveling serves to introduce a fresh section of the barb-wire transversely across the strand-wire, which section is engaged by the twister-finger 50, and on the second forward or left-hand stroke of the cross-head the second barb is formed and severed from the stock as before, this operation continuing in a uniform manner and the barbs being thus applied to the strand-wire at uniform spaces or intervals regulated by the speed of feed of the latter, which speed may be varied as desired by different relative sizes of gears 18 and 20 and by corresponding relative sizesof eccentric29 to increase or decrease the speed of the cross-head in accordance with the increase ordecrease in the speed of feed of the strand-wire. When it is desired to apply a relatively short barb having a coil of but a single turn, the stop 77 will be so adjusted as to permit a greater or less play of the clutch-box, the barb being shortened in proportion to the amount of play thus permitted. When, on the other hand, it is desired to apply a barb having a coil of two turns, as shown inFig. 19, in connection with short spacing, the mechanism operated by the rod 78 will be employed, the collars 80 and 81 being so adjusted thereon as to produce the desired positive forward feed of the wire through the clutch-box in the manner hereinbefore described.

In the application of the barbs the feed of the barb-wire stock is so timed relatively to the rotation of the twister-spindle that the continuously-rotating finger does not interferewith the full forward feed of the stock nor have to be withdrawn to avoid such interference. Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate this relative action, Fig. 14 showing the finger 50 just missing the point of the oncoming wire 58 on one idle revolution, and Fig. 15 showing the finger engaging the wire, now fully fed forward, on its next or eifective revolution.

In forming four-pointed barbs, such as are illustrated in Fig. 20, the machine has the of the cross-head.

general operation above described, two barbwires being fed forward instead of but one, and a pair of oppositely-located twister-fingers being used. The twister-spindle is,however, in this case so geared to its operating mechanism as to b eturned one and one-fourth times during each single stroke of the crosshead or two and one-half times during each double or complete forward and return stroke From this it follows that the twister-fingers 50 and 50, Figs. 16 and 17, alternate in their engagement with the barb-wires 58 and 58 in forming successive barbs.

In forming one barb'finger 50 will engage wire 58 and finger 50 will engage wire 58, as shown in Fig. 16. In forming the next succeeding barb finger 50 will engage wire 58 and finger 50 will engage wire 58. In formingthe third or next succeeding barb the parts will engage again as shown in Fig. 16, &c.

An important feature of the above operation in forming both the two and four point barbs resides in the fact that this can be and is done in my present machine without either retracting the fingers to permit the full forward feed of the barb-wire or interrupting or varying the movement of the feed to accom modate the travel of the fingers. So far as I am aware I am the first to accomplish this result in a machine in which the twisterspindle is connected in longitudinal alinement with and moves in fixed relation to the barb-wire carrier or feeder.

The employment of the eccentricgears 3i.

1 and 35 in association with the main drivingeccentric 29 is of importance in effecting a uniform travel of the carrier 53 and twisterspindle 46 with the strand-wire 55 while the coiling operation is in progress. This is practically essential to the successful operation of the machine, since otherwise an undesirable relative movement between the barband the strand upon which itis being coiled would result during the coiling operation. It will also be observed that my invention employs a icontin'uously-rotating and non-retractile twister finger or fingers in conjunction with an intermittent feed of the barb-wire stock. So far as I am aware I am the first to employ these or similar mechanisms thus related, it having beenheretofore considered necessary to temporarily withdraw the twister-fingers to permit the feed of the barb-wires across the strand-wire prior to the engagement of the twister-fingers therewith. By the peculiar shape and structure of the twister-fingerwhichl employ in conjunction with a proper timing of the operating devices I dispense with the necessity above referred to of thus withdrawing the twister-fingers out of the path of the incoming barb-Wires.

It will be obvious that numerous changes and modifications within the field of mechanical equivalents may be made in the several novel mechanisms in the above-described machine, in which my invention resides, without departing'from the spirit and scope of my invention. 1 do not, therefore, limit myself to the precise construction and relative arrangement of the several parts of such mechanisms illustrated in the drawings, except in so far as they may be specifically recited in the claims hereunto appended.

I claim v 1. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a cross-head adapted to carry the barb-wire stock, a drive-shaft therefor, and driving connections intermediate said shaft and the cross-head, of a pair of eccentrically disposed intermeshing drivinggears to operate said shaft, said eccentric gears being so related to the driving connections of the cross-head as that their variations shall neutralize the speed variations of said driving connections and produce a substantially uniform forward travel head.

2. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a cross-head adapted to carry the barb-wire stock and present the latter to the action of the barb forming and applying devices, a transverse drive-shaft therefor, and an eccentric mounted thereon and suitably harnessed to the cross-head, of a positively-driven counter-shaft journaled parallel to and adjacent said drive-shaft, and a pair of intermeshing gears eccentrically mounted on said shafts, respectively, and so disposed with reference to the eccentric that their variations shall neutralizethe speed variations of said eccentric and effect a substantially uniform forward travel of the crosshead.

In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a reciprocatory crosshead adapted to guide and carry the stock for forming the barbs, of a hollow twisterspindle disposed in coaxial alinement with said cross-head and connected thereto so as of the crossto reciprocate therewith, and means whereby 7 said twister-spindle is both slidably and rotatably mounted.

4c. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a reciprocatory crosshead containing a guide and carrier for the barb-wire stock and centrally apertured longitudinally for the passage of astrand-wire, of a hollow twister-spindle disposed in coaxial aline'ment with said guide and carrier and rotatably united to said cross-head so as to partake of the reciprocations thereof, means whereby said twister-spindle is both slidably and rotatably supported, and suitable driving devices for imparting a constant and uniform rotation to said spindle during its reciprocating movements.

'5. In a machine for making barbed Wire, the combination with a reciprocating crosshead containing a guide and carrier for the barb-wire stock which is centrally apertured longitudinally for the passage of a strandwire therethrough, of a rotatable hollow twister-spindle occupying a fixed longitudinal relation to said guide and carrier, and a suitably-bent twister-finger rigidly secured at its shank in that face of the twister-spindle which is nearest the guide and carrier.

6. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a rotatable twister'spindle of a twister-finger projecting forwardly from one end of said spindle, said finger being longitudinally beveled on its wire-engaging side to crowd the successive turns against each other during the coiling of the barb.

7. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a hollow rotatable twister-spindle adapted for the passage of a strand wire coaxially therethrough, and means for feeding a barbwire at intervals across the strand-Wire in front of said spindle, of a twister-finger projecting from the forward face of said twister-spindle, said finger having a transverse lip or flange and a longitudinal bevel on its wire-engaging side to initially catch the forwardly-projecting end of the barb-wire and wind the same in-snuglylying coils about the strand-wire.

8. In a machine for making barbed Wire, the combination with a reciprocatory crosshead longitudinally ape rtured for the passage of a strand-wire and also having a guide adapted to receive and direct a barb-wire across said strand-wire, of a longitudinallyslidable clutch-box mounted on a stationary part of the machine-frame in rear of said crosshead through which clutch-box said barb-wire passes, and mechanism intermediate said clutch-box and the cross-head and actuated by the movement of the latter for imparting to the barb-wire a positive forward feed in addition to its relative forward feed due to the backward travel of the cross-head.

9. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a reciprocatory crosshead longitudinally apertured for the passage of both a strand-wire and a barb-wire, ofalongitudinally-slidable clutch-boxmounted on a stationary bed-block in rear of said cross-head, through which clutch-box said barb-wire passes freely on its forward travel but is held against rearward slip, and adjustable mechanism intermediate said clutch-box and the cross-head and actuated by the movethe combination with a reciprocatory crosshead through which a barb-wire is adapted to be fed, of a reciprocable slide vertically mounted in one face of the cross-head, a knife held in said slide, a horizontal member extending from the face of said slide, a vertically-swinging lever pivoted to a stationary part of the machine and having one arm engaging said horizontal member transversely thereof, and means for actuating the other arm of said lever.

11. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a reciprocatory crosshead through which a barb-wire is adapted to be fed, of a reciprocable slide vertically mounted in one face of the cross-head, a knife held in said slide, a pin projecting horizontally from the face of said slide and extending a distance equal to the travel of the crosshead, a vertically-swinging lever pivoted to a stationary part of the machine and having a slotted arm which engages said pin transversely thereof, and means for actuating the other arm of said lever.

12. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a longitudinally-slidable and continuously-rotatable hollow twistor-spindle having a twister-finger fixed in one said twister-finger, and driving mechanism for said spindle and carrier so timed as to cause the barb-wire to be fed across the path of the continuously-rotating twister-finger and to be engaged by the latter only when the full length to form the desired barb has been projected.

13. In a machine for making barbed wire, the combination with a longitudinally-slidable and continuously-rotatable hollow twister-spindle having a pair of oppositely-located twister-fingers projecting from one face thereof, of a reciprocatory carrier disposed in iongitudinal alinement with said twister-spindle, and adapted to guide a pair of barb-wires and project them in opposite directions across a central strand-wire in the path of said twistor-fingers, and driving mechanism for said spindle and carrier so timed as to cause said fingers to engage said wires respectively al- HERMAN E. SCHNABEL.

\Vitnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, FREDERICK O. Goonwm. 

